Oakdale family of 5 barely escapes fast-moving house fire

The state fire marshal's office has joined the Montville fire marshal in an investigation into the cause of a fire Thursday that destroyed a home on John W. Luty Drive in Oakdale.

GREG SMITH

A family of five from Oakdale was not hurt but was left homeless Thursday after a fast-moving, early morning fire engulfed their home in a matter of minutes.

Montville Fire Marshal Ray Occhialini was joined by investigators with the state fire marshal’s office in the aftermath of the fire, sifting through waterlogged and smoking embers for clues about the cause. It remains under investigation.

Firefighters were called at 5:41 a.m. to the two-story colonial home at 19 John W. Luty Drive, where neighbors reported flames rising from the porch.

Homeowner Karl Butzgy said he was asleep when he heard his oldest daughter screaming.

“I came down the stairs and could see the whole porch was on fire,” Butzgy said.

Butzgy said he gathered his family, including his wife, Danielle, his 3-year-old son and his daughters, ages 10 and 15. Since the front of the house was blocked by flames, Butzgy said, the family had to leave the house through the garage. As they were leaving, two dogs in tow, Butzgy said, he could hear what sounded like the kitchen ceiling giving way.

Butzgy emerged wearing only his boxer shorts and tank top. Neighbors took the family in as flames lit up the cul-de-sac.

Occhialini, who lives in a nearby neighborhood, said he was outside with his dog shortly before 6 a.m. when he smelled the smoke and could see the flames.

He said firefighters were immediately called in from Oakdale, Chesterfield and Montville. They initially were able to extinguish most of the flames on the porch — but water ran out, and the fire spread rapidly.

“All of a sudden, it was like a spotlight went on and lit up the neighborhood,” neighbor Bill Clark said. “Everybody’s safe. That’s the good thing. But it’s sad when it’s almost out and you run out of water.”

Clark said he was awakened by popping sounds coming from the house. He said the small explosions sounded like ammunition. As the fire expanded, burning embers rained down on neighboring houses, prompting some to grab for garden hoses.

Since there are no fire hydrants in the area, Occhialini said, mutual aid calls went out to surrounding towns, which sent out a convoy of water tankers. Still, neighbors said it took precious minutes for the first tankers to arrive.

“I saw the flames shooting up over the house,” Adamo Avenue resident Steve Turchetta said. “It was pretty much out, and then it went into an inferno.”

Temporary pools, or drop tanks, were set up at the end of John W. Luty Drive, fed with water from a steady stream of tankers that drew water from places like Oxoboxo Lake. Tankers arriving with water to the scene included crews from Colchester, Bozrah, Poquetanuck, East Great Plain, Salem, Gardner Lake and Lyme.

Occhialini said the fire spread “too fast and too quick” for firefighters to enter the house. On Thursday afternoon, after the investigation, he planned to have a backhoe on scene to move debris to access the still-smoldering basement.

The Red Cross also was at the scene, but Occhialini said it appeared the Butzgys had a place to stay.

Correction: The fire Thursday took place at 19 John W. Luty Dirve in Oakdale. The address was incorrect in Friday's story.